This Is What Happens If You NEVER CHANGE YOUR DIFFERENTIAL OIL!!

[@mjnc3672]

My Dad had an auto repair shop from 1948 to 1986. I remember once watching him rebuilding a carburetor. After he had separated the top from the body and was cleaning the surfaces, he said "you see where I took off this gasket and scrapped it clean"? "Some guys would look at that and say good enough, and put it back together". But he continued a few minutes and got the surfaces perfectly clean. Then said "That could mean the difference between this carburetor lasting 6 months or 30 years". That one lesson when I was a little kid stuck with me my whole life, and so I was never a "that's good enough" guy in everything I did. A valuable lesson from a father passed on to his son.

[@gamingfuchs9331]

Do it ones right. A wise man

[@treefriar8791]

The rear differential is often neglected when it comes to regular maintenance. Great video, as always, Jimmy!

[@roybamburg18]

TreeFriar iis

[@dyoel182]

That's because if they consider if a normal "lifetime" fill they don't give you an obvious drain for it. On my Lincolns it's only in tiny print that they tell you to replace the fluid if you're towing or the limo package but it's easy enough, especially if you suck the fluid out and leave the cover and gasket alone.

[@treefriar8791]

@@dyoel182, the obvious drain is the rear differential cover. For someone who doesn't do their own maintenance, it may seem like a daunting and messy task. Also, most people don't think about it because it's underneath the vehicle. Jimmy puts that misconception to rest with this video.

[@blainemcdonald6972]

There isn't one fluid system in your vehicle that is life time. An honest mechanic will tell that before it fails on you, just saying

[@treefriar8791]

@@blainemcdonald6972, lifetime fluid a.k.a snake oil!

[@74willy81]

It's probably been pointed out already, but whenever you drain a differential or manual transmission it is always good practice to use a brush and some sort of solvent around the fill hole in order to eliminate any foreign from that area. This makes the fill plug area so much cleaner. Great video though, like you say most folks simply don't bother, this is a good lesson to those of us that intend to keep their vehicles for more than 3 or 4 years.

[@grizzle273463]

I don't do any sort of mechanical work but I thoroughly enjoyed your video. It was edited extremely well (short and sweet) Your narration was very concise, and matched perfectly with the video segments. And...... NO STUPID MUSIC!!! Thumbs up.

[@davesilvia9711]

gotta paint the cover to let others know you take care of your rear end.

[@rooftopvoter3015]

Or put a finned aluminum cover on to dissipate all that heat your daily beater puts out on grocery runs to a store 5 miles away.

[@kenhurley4441]

Maybe he skipped that and had mamma paint his rear end?

[@onceuponatimeintoronto891]

My truck is oil sprayed and coated in thick grease I make up and apply with a brush everywhere, old motor oil in a gallon can mixed with 5 or 6 canisters of bearing grease mixed up and it lasts for years, my frame and under body are water resistant, hell of a lot better than ziebart

[@justinfield168]

@@onceuponatimeintoronto891 anything is better then ziebart all ziebart does is hide the rust, instead of preventing it

[@justjoshin5140]

@@onceuponatimeintoronto891 how good does used motor oil work to prevent rust? And can i apply it over existing rust? I’ve been wanting to preserve what’s left of my undercarriage but I can’t afford the good stuff that’s specifically made for that

[@MrWoodroe]

You have the perfect infomercial voice. Can you say, "but wait, there's more!"

[@royce6861]

Yeah my thoughts exactly. Also the G.M. gov. lock limited slip design is trash.

[@Twit.Tw00]

indeed , a sexy KZbinr voice 😍

[@johndupont8628]

or when are the Cloverfield monsters gonna make a cameo

[@TheRealWinner1]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@MicDropBBQ]

LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! "But wait! There's MORE!" hahahahahahaha

[@kurtmalerich3643]

Some additional tips. 1. Using a die grinder with a surface prep disk will make cleaning the gasket surfaces a lot easier. 2. Putting thread locker on uncleaned oily bolts will serve no purpose. Clean the bolts and holes and let them dry first. Use that brake cleaner with a spray straw to clean the bolt holes then dry them with compressed air. 3. Put a little Teflon tape or pipe dope on the fill plug or you'll always have a slight seep from the fill plug.

[@joeKisonue]

Good info. May I add that when using that brake cleen protect eyes

[@cruiser6260]

You're gonna run a sander over the diff housing metal and flick grit into the gears?

[@jasonthurston799]

Clean around the fill plug and remove the fill plug before unbolting the differential plate so that if anything falls in it gets flushed out. People often do this afterwards and when stuff falls in they either leave it or have to unbolt a second time to flush it out.

[@cryptoanalysts5793]

You never use a sander on gasket surface, use 1300 -1000 grit sand paper and try use a break cleaner while you clean , don’t give advice you dump …learn before giving advices

[@cryptoanalysts5793]

@@cruiser6260I was laughing 😂 too , the problem some of these jerks don’t know nothing and give advices

[@markk3652]

Better to not spray down the inside of the diff with brake clean. The new oil will actually do that for you as you drive. Brake clean washes out the oil from the bearings and seals, possibly running into the axle tubes. That is detrimental to the new oil install.

[@rocxylemmon8535]

You beat me to it, my shop teacher warned me of this.

[@Gaston-q3x]

BTW, they are not axle tubes. They’re solid steel.

[@markk3652]

@@Gaston-q3x we’re referencing the tubes in which the axle shafts are contained, not the axle shaft themselves.

[@Caduceus88]

@@markk3652oh, you mean the axle tubes? 😂

[@tarheelcountry1868]

Would it be better or also not good to rotate the tires and wipe clean with lint free rag soaked with brake clean?

[@user-jk4zf9tp7o]

I never even thought about differential oil needing to be changed. I'm going to get a new gasket along with required amount and grade of differential oil and this will be my weekend project. Thanks 1ROAD for taking the mystery out of this job! Great job!

[@ranbymonkeys2384]

100 bucks says you never did it

[@hungry07580]

😂 ​@@ranbymonkeys2384

[@PrimeG2]

@@ranbymonkeys2384 LOLOL

[@ignusa749]

well done!! one thing I use is an air nozzle to super clean the magnet after most of the junk if off the magnet. the one thing you can do to help make this faster for future is to replace the cover with a drain plug cover!! and use a magnet on the drain plug!! that way you do not have to remove the cover every time you change the diff fluid!! this is important to change this often if you pull an rv!! this is the rear wheel bearing lube as well as the diff assy!! lol I get over 400k out of my old cars and trucks!! but I service them well!! 80k miles... that is a new truck!! lol!!

[@AlexTheGreatOneAndOnly]

I have a 1973 Chevy Malibu with over a millions miles on it. My Aunt has maintained it and kept it in good condition over the years when she bought it brand new. But she never bothered to check the differential and it still working very well.

[@TraveladvRajanSRai]

Hw many mile

[@rickreese5794]

Oh my 🤷🏿‍♂️😩🥵

[@joseguzman2248]

Now this guy know how to make videos you actually wanna watch straight to the point keep up the good work brotha

[@kalgrandy2101]

“Every day is a chance to turn it all around.” Powerful message even though this is a vid about changing differential fluid. I appreciate your content 1Road.

[@toma5153]

Great video. A couple of points 1) The use of a cardboard template to hold the bolts in the same relative location is a good one. On some older differentials the rear axle vent is through a hole drilled in one of the bolts, That bolt should be on top. Eyeball the bolts to see if there is a hole drilled in one. 2) On newer axles there is normally an axle vent mounted on top of the axle. Clean it periodically. A blocked vent will cause rear diff oil to leak out through the axle seals.

[@666dynomax]

1) i did not know that, 2) a facebook group told me this problem, so glad they did, I was ready to change my pinion seal... i attribute it to rustproofing... that being said, now that I know, I clean it out every now and then, its a 10 or 12mm deep socket, very simple. I was going to replace, but I got it working pretty well. 3) nobody mentioned it, but loosen your fill before you start...

[@cruiser6260]

If the bolts are all same length it doesn't matter if they don't go back in the same hole

[@toma5153]

@@cruiser6260 I think you misunderstood what I was saying. On some older differentials the bolt position does matter. Some have small drilled holes in them and need to go topside, for proper venting. In all other respects the bolts look alike. The key word is "if".

[@TheBreeze2384]

Where do people come up with this stuff?

[@RebarLad]

It's wierd to think that that oil was pumped into that differential before I was even born and was still at work throughout all my life and that vehicle still runs.

[@mauri7306]

Haha me to ay

[@imyourhuckleberry4547]

It's a chevy

[@Oceansta]

It's oil. If you really think about it, it just needs to lubricate. After all these years it can still do that by means of being oil. It probably won't be at 100% efficiency but it'll still work. I don't see why not.

[@scrapplepig]

Weird to think that's how you were born, a lot of pumping.

[@imtheonevanhalen1557]

Yeah, the only reason to change that stinking mess is if you have time on your hands....the stuff is bulletproof thick goo for a good reason. If it was critical to have it changed, there would be a drain plug.

[@sparraps3476]

A good point that everyone should be aware of. In the case of Ford or GM limited slip, you must add the correct friction modifier as he mentions. There should be a metal tag on the diff that identifies this and the fluid from the manufacturer should be used. Something that wasn't mentioned is make sure the differential is level when filling it, as in not on the jack stands. This will ensure that the fluid comes out of the fill hole at the proper level, not elevated and overfilled.

[@cruiser6260]

Good point, if you don't have a hoist, find a child to crawl under that level vehicle and add oil, can't have 2ml extra in there

[@frandanco6289]

Well, if he had the front tires on ramps and the rear frame on stands and it WAS level, then it will be ok...

[@beemikeme]

@@cruiser6260 Funny!

[@petescarport]

Harbor freight sells a fluid pump that works amazing for refilling the diff fluid and is super cheap. Takes the pain of holding and spilling the fluid away. Also you can easily measure out the fluid if using a gallon container like I did. Great video

[@jimcatanzaro7808]

Ya all the crap is on the bottom so the pump won’t get all the metal out better off taking it off and getting it all out

[@hughmongos3846]

@@jimcatanzaro7808 he said for refilling champ

[@barrybennett1292]

Hopefully everyone realizes you also have to clean the brake cleaner and any residual gunk out of the differential before putting the cover back on. He kinda skipped that part.

[@randalljohnson3688]

What's best to use for that ? Shop towel ..old rag?

[@joshsmith672]

Yep

[@snowcrest7863]

Or, just let it evaporate for a clean result.

[@donalta9337]

Thank you!!

[@christopherhaak9824]

@@snowcrest7863 It should not be allowed to just evap, the bottom of the housing needs to be wiped from all the stuff that if solvates down there.

[@PanzerPlatform]

Sometimes it's a good idea to check the vent diff vent tube to make sure it's not clogged.

[@ecwurban]

"Sometimes" needs to be changed to "Always"

[@fsh4204]

Always a must

[@Wolf-wf6yx]

Yes that's correct it's an excellent idea to make sure that the vent is not clogged otherwise the differential fluid will leak out of the seals every time the vehicle warms up due to backed up pressure.

[@isaacb4955]

Budget Panther Fan where would that be...? Read nothing on that for my genuine chevy service manual rwd astro passager van.

[@frankpaya690]

@@isaacb4955 it looks like a little nipple on top of the axle tube, about in the middle. and it might have a hose coming up if it's an off-road vehicle.

[@johnventers5128]

The first diff oil change i did on my 02 defender was an eye opener. It was like grease it was so used and old. Like i could actually hold it in my hand... Amazingly no visible damage done.

[@somanynamesilltrythis0180]

78,000 on a 96' is pretty good. My 08 Silverado has around 150,000. Thanks for the reminder, I'll be adding this to my "to do list" along with the transmission filter and seal.

[@haizi7179]

I have a 91' Ford Econoline with 40K on the odometer

[@karlhungus545]

I just changed the rear diff fluid in both my 99 Sierra 2500 4x4, and my sons 95 K1500 4x4. Each of them are over 300,000km (both bought with over 300K). Both were a lot dirtier than yours, but the diffs are both still on good shape. Changing it every 100,000km is plenty enough.

[@1980bwc]

As a mechanic, Ive cussed guys like this in my head many times, while trying to remove bolts that they have drenched in loctite, that did not need loctite at all. Like these rear end cover bolts. They aren't going anywhere genius!

[@bennievorster7693]

As a diesel mechanic i agree. Only use it where the repair manual say to use it.

[@blacksheep6888]

Its only a blue locktight its only very low grade its no problem at all and will help as an antiseize rather than a hindrance. And yes I am a diesel fitter trained by Caterpillar and I would use locktight there as well in fact I use it almost every bolt. Its not Bearin retaining fluid just remember to use the correct grade for the correct application

[@mauri7306]

Black Sheep well said

[@bajamike3803]

@@mauri7306 yeah I’m a machinist and the blue is nothing. I use it on 4/40 screws with no issues

[@johnsarab4500]

I could never get that Loctite to work!

[@davidtodora6173]

I never thought how important changing the differential fluid would be. Thanks so much. Just changed my Diff fluid. at 80K miles. Your video covered everything. You Rock Bro !!!

[@mos3362]

Great video, just did this on my 2006 Silverado with 120,000 miles and it actually fixed what I thought was the transmission shifting rough. Not sure if it was low or the fluid was worn out but the truck drives like new again!

[@1RoadGarage]

Wow, that’s good to hear! 👍

[@Dbeats62]

Do you know if it leaves any permanent damage?

[@mos3362]

@@Dbeats62 not that I’m aware gm recommends every 30,000 to 60,000 miles depending on driving conditions. It’s been 10k miles since I did mine and it still drives great

[@A_DIY_VAN_GUY]

​@@1RoadGarageI hear that if you change transmission fluid if it's never been change before then it'll make it worse I wonder if the same applies to the rear differential fluid

[@JamesFlynn-np7sq]

No, you can change diff fluid with recommended spec and friction additive if necessary. You can change the fluid on your transmission too. If it is an automatic, just open the pan, replace the filter(s), clean the pan & magnets, top off with fresh fluid. Some say you should get an exact measurement of what drains out, but this is assuming you have checked the level first and afterward of course. Some of these newer transmissions do not have dipsticks, so it can be tricky to check the fluid level. Drain and fill, never flush and use the highest quality OEM parts and fluid spec only. If a transmission goes bad after a proper drain/fill procedure, it was on it's way out already.

[@JWoodcock]

Replaced an entire rear axle on my 2008 Xterra a few years back. A few months after purchasing it, the differential literally shredded the pinion gear to bits all at once, while driving down the road with just myself in the vehicle. I was totally blown away that destruction like that was even possible on a vehicle used as lightly as mine. Previous owner must have given it hell while towing... but still... I couldn't believe it was even possible. I've never been so distraught as when I saw all those pieces of pinion gear literally puking out of the drain hole when I first drained it!

[@benchesnut3715]

Did it cause an accident?

[@alanpules4105]

This was extremely helpful. Way to go Jimmy on your first time changing the diff oil as I never knew this had to be changed. Thanks homeboy.

[@RedAppleApe]

Driving a Toyota Land Cruiser 200 and this summer with now nearly 330k on the clock I had this „hey today I‘m gonna change my rear diff oil“-idea…. well it was a absolute waste of time. Oil looked pristine.

[@reedsilvesan2197]

I'm 63 and have done ALOT of mechanic work in my lifetime. The FASTEST AND EASIEST way I have found to clean metal surfaces is a wire wheel. Bench mount, drill mount, angle grinder, doesn't matter, just don't bear down super hard, let wire wheel do the work. I use this method on almost any metal surface ( including aluminum ) and have never had any problems. Heads, engine blocks, name it. Again, let the wheel do the work, don't use alot of pressure. The gasket material is much softer than the metal, with reasonable care you will not cause any damage

[@simonm1447]

There are also wire wheels with brass wire, it may be a little bit ''softer'' to materials like aluminum, the method however will also work in the same way

[@busterland1805]

Do not use a wire wheel to remove a base gasket on an aluminum cylinder Harley-Davidson. Two mechanics and a machinist told me I was an idiot. And I felt like one. Precision alu. surfaces are veery easy to damage.

[@69nites]

@@busterland1805 yeah, don't use a steel wire wheel on aluminum. You can use a brass brush or brass wire wheel and be just fine though.

[@JoeGarofaloII]

Just a friendly tip to everyone out there, if you drive your vehicle through water or deep mud, you will want to change your diff fluid more frequently. For me and most of my Jeep buddies, it's part of regular maintenance, almost like changing the oil

[@gristlevonraben]

And changing the neutral safety switch that sucks in water too.

[@TitanTown]

You're wrong, I do go outside and say "I'm going to change my differential oil today."

[@Oceansta]

😂

[@ericp.9497]

Hear hear!

[@daftnord4957]

i literally just said this today, so i've been watching some videos on it and ended up here

[@wannabecarguy]

Liar.

[@bkdexter79]

I just whisper it...shhh...

[@cjvan71]

Just changed my 2002 Silverado Z71 rear differential fluid. I bought the truck at 18k miles in 2003. I changed the fluid at 385000 miles. Still looked good. I may just be lucky but I was surprised at how clean it was.

[@1RoadGarage]

Great to hear!!

[@michaeldavis7612]

Dark lube doesn't mean it's cooked. Some gear lube was dark and stinky before it went into the diff because it contains lithium disulfide and friction modifiers in the additives. Also, you forgot to mention cleaning the gasket surface in the diff body. That's just as important as the cover.

[@1RoadGarage]

You're right, forgot to film that part. I'm only human, Harry.

[@Peterswarahed]

Yeah the dark color don't mean much, quantity and viscosity didn't look bad either.

[@Deucealive75]

@@PeterswarahedI thought the color looked good.

[@danlevesque5437]

@@1RoadGarage how did you enjoy the smell of the gear oil? I have a manual transmission and on most motorcycles same type of gear oils first time smells you don't forget it so easy😖

[@adamquintanar4309]

No bullshit, but It’s really not that dark. -ford tech

[@jimmysapien9961]

Thank you - now 1- step further I would have done was to go ahead and clean- up all the bolts too .👍🏻

[@mikebavoso26]

Great idea never thought about checking the fill plug first before you remove all the fluid and you're unable to refill the differential good job

[@camarokurt]

I learned that the hard way long ago. I was sweating bullets when I couldn't get the fill plug out due to the head being stripped. Finally did get it out.

[@miltoshatzi4528]

@@camarokurt Worst case you buy a nice aftermarket cover with a fill plug or drill a hole on the OEM cover and have a bung welded so you can screw a bolt with a copper washer - do one for the bottom to drain easier next time - better than OEM !

[@robertsherrick4081]

@@miltoshatzi4528 Generally you can fill through one of the bolt holes.

[@ahotdj07]

@7:00 also also - when tightening the cover, do it in a cross pattern. That will make sure the gasket seats correctly.

[@LA_Commander]

You can also replace that stock cover with a quality aftermarket one that has a drain plug. It makes the next fluid change way easier.

[@LA_Commander]

@Account NumberEight toyotas require maintenance too just like any other car.

[@LA_Commander]

@Account NumberEight still trying to figure out the reason for your reply

[@LA_Commander]

@Account NumberEight And so has Ford. What's your point anyway?

[@Philscbx]

I've been preaching this for a 100 years,, and no one ever does. All the micro gear shavings end up in all the bearings getting mashed over and over for a million times. Plus the micro shavings are ten times harder steel the the balls in bearings,, making them look like golf balls,, then sooner or later,, a huge noise won't end. And or huge crash of pinion and ring gear. The alignment is very critical to never make noise, and run smooth. Every 10,000 miles or every other oil change,, the rear end will live a long time getting this crud removed. Yes,, add a high power magnet drain plug,, or mount one on the case. Also, the axle tube out to each wheel let's oil travel out to axle bearings every time a turn is made and the warm oil gives them a bath as well. You just don't want gear shavings in the mix. Cheers..

[@waterheaterservices]

Great comment, helpful info.

[@complementarychaos]

Great advice. Snapshot of this comment is gonna help with my truck. Appreciated.

[@jstar1000]

I changed mine on my 2003 F250 7.3L diesel with 125k original miles on it. It was cleaner then I thought it would be. Its been a tow monster most of its life, only used for towing a huge RV.

[@ziaride]

I noticed a leak in my Comanche's rear diff after 260,000 miles. Went by parts store to see how much a gasket and oil would cost. Did not have enough and thought I'd just baby it two days till I got paid... Yep, diff seized on the highway on the way to work on payday the day I was going to pick up the parts. It ended up costing me $2500 vs $25 to fix, it took 2 months to find a replacement axle. This event forced me to set up an emergency fund and vow to never be that short on money again.

[@9HighFlyer9]

If it makes you feel better, with that bad of a leak the damage was probably done before you went to the auto parts store.

[@aboivanka6104]

Dont be sorry Sounds to me your diff was actually worn out anyway before the leak.

[@unodfredy]

Honestly man at 260,000 miles I think I would've called it quits and sold the truck. There's no use in keeping that thing alive. That's just my opinion though it's possible it can still go longer

[@ucwutuwant2c520]

Dumped my Comanche in 97 because of that nasty high dollar Dana rear end (2kish back then, if memory serves) needing to be replaced. Never liked anything about any Jeep I have owned or used (except the way they looked).

[@Bryan-Hensley]

You got burnt

[@rayford21]

Now this is what I call an excellent video. The lighting was good and all related parts and actions were clearly visible. And Jimmy was very easy to understand with great audio...thanks for leaving out the dumb background music many posters like to use.

[@jimtekkit]

It's very smart to return each bolt to it's original location. There's always going to be damaged or cross-threaded nuts and bolts on older cars, and reinstalling them in different locations will ruin your other remaining good threads. It's also absolutely essential to use a small, sensitive torque wrench for working on the little fasteners (12mm or smaller). Big torque wrenches can fail to trigger properly at low torque levels and your fasteners will be destroyed before you realize there's an issue. Ask me how I know.

[@Mark-gg6iy]

"There's always going to be damaged or cross-threaded nuts and bolts on older cars, and reinstalling them in different locations will ruin your other remaining good threads. " Competent mechanics discard damaged fasteners and replace them with perfect condition new. If a bolt thread has been cross-threaded Heli-coil insertion is required.

[@Nikkk6969]

Unless you have a sensitive POS it’s not that deep just tighten them the same amount

[@markk3652]

A few take aways here. First, that oil did not appear to be burnt up at all. When it flows out, you can still see light transfer through it as well as a bit of amber to its color. Secondly, the buildup of dark film coating the diff cover internally is quite normal as well. It’s a result of oxidation of the oil and the impurities that are produced by the gear set. Lastly, the sump area is where most of the heavier particulate will settle, gently wiping that out of the housing is crucial in the process of changing the oil in the first place. The magnet gets a lot, but one would be surprised at how much swarf can be present in that sump. The brake clean spray down of the gears is not really necessary, the new oil will wash down the internals as you drive. Full synthetic oil is best for longer intervals, 60,000 miles is a standard duration for most trucks. That being said, severe usage and heavy towing will require shorter duration fluid changes.

[@jakek7112]

If you've got 4 wheel drive, your transfer case needs love too. Dont forget

[@georgesimpson3113]

And your front differential oil...

[@latrogeniwile58]

AND the front diff oil.

[@jeromeswaby3896]

Um, just to be clear, Are you saying that the transfer case uses a different oil from the trans(manual or Auto)?

[@colteng9721]

And the front diff oil

[@allenhetrick4535]

Gabe.LB7 BULL SHIT.

[@Bluviolet7392]

Wow! You made me feel like running to my car and changing the fluid. Awesome video, thanks so much!!

[@stephengriffin4990]

Great vid I'am OCD when it comes to changing the oils on all of my new cars from new.

[@gristlevonraben]

I doubt you read this, with over 3000 comments just on this one video, i don't blame you. But after you put oil in it, you need to run it a bit, and recheck, it will throw oil into the wheel bearings and that oil can add up to another half bottle or more. Good video!

[@mikeprice8307]

Awesome tip! 👏

[@FranE.568]

Thank you for your videos. I changed the diff fluids on 2 of my vehicles with no issues. I also did the cardboard mapping.

[@ДмитрийФакухин]

This man looks like a "Bad Santa" - Billy Bob Thornton! One of my favorite movies, btw. And thanks for the good video (but my ears are tired, haha), I do the same thing 2 months ago with my 8.5 GM rear end, when I put a locker in it, but I added a little NPT 1/8 drain plug to case, to refill axle without gasket changing.

[@charlietanner6211]

make sure that parts cleaner solvent is all dry before putting on cover it could break don new oil

[@skynetsworld]

I wouldn't spray it in the diff, like never. On the inside cover and then rub it dry, ok, but not in the diff. Or i would do a 2nd change after 50-100miles.

[@christopherhaak9824]

The bottom of the diff should be wipe thoroughly after spraying with the brake cleaner. There is plenty of stuff that can settle in there and with the rear raised, it won't drain out.

[@Wellcome-back-America]

What I like about this guy's video is he gets to the point with no hoopla & and speaks clearly :)

[@GodIsGood1991]

Hell yeah! Me too!

[@oldandintheway9805]

And no stupid ass music!

[@bradleywilcox8873]

Gotta love the smell of diff fluid in the morning lol

[@homosapiensqp3225]

It smells like a victory.

[@milehigh3054]

I know that smell. Lol

[@ptotheog8445]

Fish Market

[@tyronewalker5764]

@@ptotheog8445 Yeah!😎

[@JC-ck4wk]

I just changed my diff oil for the first time this morning and yeah that stuff stinks man

[@newenglandautoandtruckrecy5636]

We sell a lot of axles for this very reason, people forget to change their fluid. Great video.

[@Nyph3r1t3Dragunn]

I appreciate what you do on ur channel, and even keeping the older videos accessible, just got myself a suburban and looking forward to keeping it in great condition as possible ✊🏽👍🏽👌🏽

[@angelawerner7696]

Although I am not able to do my own mechanical work, I found your explanations and demonstration most helpful in understanding why this should be done and exactly what is involved when I take my truck into the shop to have this done. Excellent video!

[@davetee116]

Your videos are great and encourage the weekend warriors to tackle easy maintenance tasks that will increase the life of your vehicles. I buy one year old cars and drive them 15 to 20 plus years. A little TLC to my GM vehicles has served me well. I would however suggest that you solvent clean the bolts and internal threads before applying the locktite. Not so much an issue putting the bolts back in the same holes as the old days. Machining tolerances are much better these days but I do remember when that was a good idea. Love your videos for the common Joe weekend warriors. Keep doing what you're doing bro!

[@timcent7199]

For faster refilling of the diff make a small hole in the bottle at the opposite end to the hose. Set your compressor to very low pressure and press the air gun to the hole. Carefully apply air to the bottle ensuring not to use too much pressure. Watch the oil travel at high speed and no physical effort.

[@HumbleBearcat]

That's a good idea, but be careful not to let any debris fall inside the bottle when you make the hole.

[@cruiser6260]

When finished filling, DO NOT, Repeat, NeVEr Ever under any circumstance keep bottle upright. (Gear oil surplus to axle capacity will exit the hole in bottle. Keep the leftover gear oil upside down

[@TheBreeze2384]

Why make such a simple job so crazy complicated? Just use the bottle as it's intended!!! No fancy and silly hoses and air and bottle cuts needed!

[@johnsamu]

That "having each bolt in the same position as before" sounds a bit overdone, assuming the are all the same size. It's no rocket science it's just a simple rear diff.

[@presidentanp]

Glenn Wishart this made me chuckle

[@cometcal2]

May be true with bolts, nuts, bolt holes made from softer metal. Stripped threads are a hassle.

[@A1K3NFISHING]

@ 😂😂😂 what a goober.

[@8__D]

Ya its a bunch of bs

[@HighGear7445]

Wish the mechanic would have done that on my fuel rails he had to move to change the plugs on my truck. Ford 3 thread plug ..I didn't want to try it myself. Got them mixed up and fuel rail loosened (long bolt must have bottomed out and not tightened ) and sprayed gas at high pressure in the engine compartment. So lucky it didn't catch fire.

[@stevethompson6772]

After 50 years of driving, 4 years spent working at a service station (think of a place that sells gasoline and does repairs to cars, not a convenience store), 8 years working in an auto repair shop, many years talking with mechanics, and 40+ years of working on my own cars I have never changed the gear lube in a differential unless there was some problem that made that necessary. Those problems could include a leaking cover gasket, a leaking pinion seal, a leaking axle seal, etc. I have only once seen or heard of a differential in a street driven vehicle go bad and that was in a vehicle that had been driven through some flooded streets and water got into the differential through the vent. Many of the vehicles I have experience with had more than 50,000 miles on them and some with more than 100,000 miles.

[@Anonymous-it5jw]

Thanks for this timely video. If you don't have jacks, torque wrenches, a place to jack up and support the vehicle on jack stands, and/or a lot of extra time, the job still needs to be done, but you can also use a hand-powered Harbor Freight suction pump to suck out the majority of the oil out through the fill hole, , then remove the drain plug to drain any remaining oil and clean off the pieces of metal magnetically stuck to the inner side of the drain plug. Replace the drain plug, then replace the oil with the proper grade of synthetic differential lubricant, with no loosening of cover bolts, no removing of covers, no new gasket, etc.. If you do it his way, which is a more complete and accurate way of checking out the gears, etc., get all of the brake cleaner out before reassembly. Before you replace the bolts, wipe the oil off of the threads on the bolts and their holes so that the blue thread locker will have clean surfaces to stick to. Don't use red thread locker, or you'll never get it apart again w/o an impact wrench, which carries the risk of snapping off the bolts without removing them. Unless the friction modifier is already included in the new synthetic oil, I would add the manufacturer-recommended friction modifier, regardless of whether or not it is a locker-type or limited slip differential, to reduce friction and prolong the life of the unit.

[@cruiser6260]

If you're draining out the bottom plug, there's no point sucking any out from the fill plug. Kinda like sucking oil out the dipstick tube if you're gonna drain the sump anyway

[@stevenrichards3699]

I use anti-seize on my differential bolts. It makes it easier the next time you have to change the fluid.( 30,000 miles in my book ) And just for the record, I am a die hard Royal Purple fan !

[@306champion]

Steven, please excuse my ignorance but what is "Royal Purple"? Is it some American thing?

[@stevenrichards3699]

@@306champion It is a synthetic oil company , that makes a variety of synthetic automotive fluids, including crank case oil and differential fluid.

[@suzysuzuki8865]

All I use is royal purple

[@andrewlace]

Always check the filler bolt can be undone before draining the diff. Otherwise you'll end up with an empty diff.

[@mattwaters6987]

Andrew Lacey , he did do that in the video if you watched it.

[@Anth888ya]

I have 138k Miles on my 2011 Nissan Pathfinder and now that you mention it I took it to Valvoline to get it the read diff fluid changed out. Thankfully everything still runs!

[@kenbarnes8958]

It probably won't hurt anything to change the gear oil in the differential - however - with 60 years experience on American cars, I believe that 99% of the cars that run 400K miles then finally end up in the scrap yard still have the factory original gear oil in the differential and had no problems. The oil does get to looking rough after 400K but yours at 78K looked great.

[@miguelramos5318]

It looked fine he was being dramatic

[@karlhungus545]

Yah, he's always being dramatic, especially the way he talks. That fluid was clean.

[@dantheman4168]

Hey Jimmy. You may want to use a plastic scraper to lean the odds of not marring the cover etc., in your favor. You may also want to torque bolts to manufacturers specs. Nice job and keep up the motivation.

[@noteevanbro8054]

and while you at it maybe scrape the gasket surface of the differential housing too.

[@infernaldaedra]

Plastic razor blades work great too

[@leetos.4915]

Agree…the plastic is much safer

[@robbyddurham1624]

The guy talks to us like my dad does when he's on the phone. It's like he's yelling across a field to you.

[@RobHTech]

ya sounds like he recorded it with the audio recording level too high. makes it hard to listen to him.

[@lewis2553]

Hey, my mother DID yell across about 8 acres to us!

[@rooftopvoter3015]

Try Scotty Kilmer---------------he is always yelling.

[@lewis2553]

@@RobHTech No he's just yelling. He's also overacting like he's a soap opera actress -- you know -- a bobblehead. It comes from Attention Deficit Disorder. He feels a deficit of attention from everyone around him and therefore the need to yell.

[@mrsseasea]

We have a 1988 suburban, we bought when our 4 kids were young well our youngest was 2 weeks old, that was 28 years ago, now she’s driving it. Love the older suburbans.

[@damon7845]

I get some strong chrisfix vibes off this video.

[@YEOUBE]

Yeah hes copying him 😂😂

[@AuldViolin]

Imposter

[@YEOUBE]

@Paul Mallory how long does it last though? my car is 25 years old and i do not know if it has been changed though. Althought the car only has 69k km on the odo.

[@tarunavtar]

Chrisfix is more professional than him

[@georgetzanakis6041]

@@tarunavtar dont watch

[@andrewgray4263]

I just wanna say its never a good idea to spray parts/break cleaner inside the diff. It breaks down the oil and makes it thinner.

[@Miningmanic55Blogspot]

As long as you get all of it off its no big deal at all

[@owenshiverdecker6999]

Leave it all open and it should evaporate pretty quickly, wipe out what remains.

[@latrogeniwile58]

It's just fine. We've been doing that for 40 years. One of the few ways to clean the parts. He should have wiped out ALL the oil and shavings in the puddle under the ring gear.

[@brandoncaldwell95]

Brakencleaner ismans bestnfriend in auto cleaning. Inuse it for almost everything. Cleaned trans, oil, diffs pans and so on. Its nice to known where oil comes from once its been stripped off completely. How i found my oil PSI sensor was bad vs a rear main. $100 fix in an hour in the driveway vs $3000 trans, transfer case drop as a shop with proper tools. Also dont want old fluid mixed with new. It all evaporates quite quickly.

[@Veritas-invenitur]

I was told It evaporates off

[@andregreen8040]

I replace the fluid in the front, rear diff and transfer case of my 100 series land cruiser every 40K klm. The drained fluid is almost as clean as the new fluid. Very minimal shavings. False economy not maintaining them regularly.

[@RobertO-hr6lg]

too frequent unless your towing something

[@jferbie2000]

Wow!! I've never had my diff oil changed. It has 315K miles on it. Will get it done this week. Thanks for the video.

[@Thunderrolls87]

Goes to show ya its best to change it but if ya dont it wont lubricate as well im sure but your rear diff is still cruising down the road!

[@mikeprice8307]

Just goes to show you how long you can actually go without changing it.​@@Thunderrolls87

[@codymoncrief8478]

This reminds me of chrisfix "WOO A PROBLEM!" "WOO DIRTY OIL" "WOO LOCTITE!"

[@maddmako1417]

😅😅😅

[@MrMatt713]

but he didn't spray it down with soapy wudder?

[@bluboxes]

OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW

[@Ashley_van_Schooneveld]

Soapy wodder

[@danwood4478]

I like the loctite on the oily bolts.

[@chrisstokes8798]

Thanks, I pulled out all my teeth listening to your voice. Saved me a ton of money at the dentist!!

[@garyspencer1711]

Best farr-king comment I ever be hear bout datt dare loud vocal range ! I'm still fuggen laughing. Well, dattz zit fuh now. I gudduh go and spray some super solvent inside my diff chamber. I will finish the job by adding 1/4 cup of sodium chloride.

[@frankpaya690]

@@garyspencer1711 yes, and he never did address how to get the excess cleaner out of the differential before you fill it with oil. If you have too much residual in there , it's going to dilute your gear oil.

[@Stienecker]

I did mine last May. 460k miles, only time it’s been changed.

[@aboodmki3]

jacob stienecker Any difference in the way the car drives? smoother or lighter for instance?

[@Stienecker]

Abood Mki my 1997 f150 gets about 1.6 miles per gallon more. I’m the second owner of my truck. My dad is the original owner.

[@aboodmki3]

jacob stienecker Thanks 🙏🏻

[@unodfredy]

Probably not the greatest idea..... but lmk how long it holds up. I'm interested.

[@aboodmki3]

The Beaver Actually that’s why i asked because I knew it’s a while since last May, and any geared components jobs like trans and diffs usually tends to screw up in the first month or so if they’re not done correctly or even the component it self was too bad to had a fluid replacement and instead needed to be reconditioned, symptoms like either leaks, whine etc. But if the job lasted more than a year without problems then you can consider your diff just as good as brand new.

[@MG-th9sl]

I have a 95 Tahoe with 77k miles on it. I did change the differential fluid at 30k mainly because it was my tow vehicle. I guess it’s about that time to do it again. Thanks for the reminder.

[@kennydavis2276]

Thanks for the video. Siiigh. Yet another job I gotta do if I want to keep my old 96 on the road.

[@shawn576]

Alright you and chrisfix have convinced me to actually do the most basic maintenance on my car. Thanks! You should have shown how you removed the brake cleaner from the differential before putting the cover on. Brake clean is mostly acetone, and it absolutely destroys most kinds of plastic and rubber. You don't want any of it to touch any gaskets or anything like that. Just using a hair dryer should be good enough to make it evaporate, but be aware that it's extremely flammable - make sure the garage has ventilation and don't let any random asshole smoke cigarettes while doing this.

[@Nikkk6969]

It literally evaporates after like 5 seconds

[@001736743]

Dont forget the transfer case fluid on a 4wd.

[@johnnichols9056]

Or the front diff. too! 😉

[@finnirish12]

My diffs and transfer case need lsd fluid also.

[@johnnichols9056]

@@finnirish12 available allready mixed in the fluid or as an additive. Be careful there are several types follow your manufacturers recommendations. Do not add more than the manufacturers recommendations, you could wind up with an extra slippy diff.

[@joestefancic744]

Oh ok IV in

[@lorettacaputo6997]

I have a 2nd Gen Nissan xterra and live in the northern snow belt where salt is prevalent. I have had oil pans, diff covers and transmission lines rust thru. When I replaced the diff cover on the X terra, cleaned out the fluid and replaced it, I also coated the exterior of the diff cover with flex seal as a barrier from future rust thru. It was amazing how thin the metal of the diff cover was on the original and replacement. Did the same treatment on the oil pan replacement.

[@averyneilson12]

Great video and presentation. I will be doing this soon. We just got through flushing the transmissions on 3 of our cars thanks to another video you did a while back. I will be doing this on the truck I just picked up. On a platform where the biggest jackasses get the most views and make the most money you provide something of real value. Its rare and very much appreciated thank you. Avery Neilson

[@joeykidd5136]

I bought a 1968 camaro and while I was driving home the diff locked up and was completely dry, now it is broken

[@metaljew4456]

I never thought that changing your own Pumpkin fluid could be so much fun! Great video mate! 🙅🏼‍♂️

[@joeyong1418]

I would jack up the rear wheels and run them for a bit to let all the old dirty oil out after spraying with brake cleaner or diesel.

[@djled1013]

Great video. My only suggestion is never use Lucas. I used it one time in my gear box and my rear diff. A, once quiet, transmision became very noisy. I change it after about 1000 miles. Chose Amalie Elixir Full Synthetic and I've never been happier.

[@strongholds12]

"We did it together!" Glad i could help..

[@matthewwilliams9200]

I always use gasket sealant on diffs great video

[@JBlinky67]

"Old vehicles with 100 thousand miles OR MORE..." lol. 341,000 on my 2000 Tahoe.

[@johnsarab4500]

435,000 on my '69 C 10!

[@ddp7028]

1,000,000 on my Toyota pickup

[@toolisbalance]

@@ddp7028 I'll believe 1,000,000 when I see it hahaha

[@bugoykikay8074]

lol who tf change their rear diff fluid anyways😂😂

[@ddp7028]

@@bugoykikay8074 when you find a leak or your car is old as dirt

[@99FXR]

On the contrary my friend. I woke up this morning, walked in my garage, and said those exact words. Wish me luck!

[@VinnyMartello]

I use my 66 Chevy for towing on a regular basis. I change the fluid like once a year. Overkill? Sure. But hey it cost me ten bucks.

[@jacobbonilla1247]

i actually say that im gonna change the diff oil, but procrastination wins like always

[@goose502]

Ericthecarguy just rebuilt the rear end on his 90’ c1500. Your video is a good supplement to his. Check him out, he’s rebuilding the entire truck.

[@1RoadGarage]

I have been watching his vids. Thanks!

[@thomasmichaels6850]

My '06 Ram(217,000 miles) is getting this done soon. I'm sure it's never been done. Thanks for all the tips!

[@flailios]

If anyone is curious, hand tight with a socket driver (about 1ft long) will be about 15ftlbs of torque (20nm). You can safely skip the 10ftlbs torque setting if you just hand-snug your bolts instead. In time, you get a feel for how torque feels at different leverages.

[@techcodenet]

Not putting much hopes in reply after two years ... But here goes nothing ... How universal is that hand tight with socket driver is about 20nm? Since I'm nowhere close to Devon Larratt or the likes. For a long time I didn't think much of semi-regular comment/complaint from relatives (and in particular wife) that I've tightened some screw/nut or just soda bottle cap "Too hard". Every now and then I would have a stripped screw or (even rarer) nut - but usually it was old/crappy/rusted seized stuff. But at some point stuff like big aluminum part of miter-saw guard rail that hold/clamp screw/nut screws into broke off (Metabo - so not complete cheap crap) - and frankly I was tightening it too much. After which point flashbacks of situations where squeeze/quick-clamps were also skipping started coming back.

[@ClashOfTheTITIN244]

Great video! I am an auto mechanic and machinist/CNC programmer..and I approve this message..lol even the cardboard template to make sure to replace the bolts into the same location is great..but not necessary..but a great detail non the less..sometimes that does matter. Great video!!

[@cruiser6260]

Very important to put the cross threaded bolt back into the cross tapped hole.. that's why he put them back where they came from?

[@panthermartin7784]

I watch this just to remind me to go fishing... alone... with no access to youtube.. forever....

[@gratefuldale117]

When the question or request for info on overdue vehicle maintenance or things to check for various vehicles, I always suggest doing all diff fluids and Transfer Case replacements, as well as Brake, Coolant, Power Steering and Transmission drain and fill/system bleed to offer inspection examples. Oil Change importance is Paramount but that will always be 1st task done. Engine tasks are another whole list of course. Good you're opening some eyes! Most probably never do, but it is a most basic list with highest returns on extending running life bumper to bumper. On my 06 Tundra 4X4 I only changed the oil for 65K before doing any of above, started with rear dif. The Original TOYOTA fill still looked perfect,, the front as well. It was the transfer case fluid that was horrible. The breather hose on the advance mod had rotted and moisture/water had crept in. Fortunately caught it before ruining occurred. That set me on completely rebuilding the entire front end/Suspension which, despite Toyota Rep, was an entire batch of crap bushings and ball joints. It should run to 300K, even after I'm gone!!@@

[@kathygalvin4325]

Thank you, Jimmy! Your video helped me show my buddies that its easy and necessary to change the differential fluid!

[@Tweaked818]

Going to do this in the future, recently did my oil change

[@rizzleriz4457]

Excellent video Sir. Thank you. You made it look so easy while providing valuable info along the way...a real gem video.

[@RingZero]

Good job with the differential, I have a Trailblazer 20 years old and 170k miles, running on original diff fluid :-)

[@breadlowry]

Good video, but you sound like an overzealous camp counselor.

[@rottiesdad]

Yeah, he made me remember my first time 😥

[@burwood69]

Too over the top for sure. Good info just a little excitable .

[@neruil77]

I thinking the oxy clean guy

[@rottiesdad]

@@neruil77 no, i met him. He never touched me in my special place.

[@DalV]

Green Giant that’s ok it’s better than sounding like that economics teacher from Ferris Bueller